Rare Wellness Podcast (by Center for Regenerative and Performance Medicine) · Dr. Jamie Lewis

How to Choose a GLP-1 Provider

·16 min

Dr. Jamie Lewis and performance medicine nurse Becca Pabona from the Center for Regenerative and Performance Medicine explain how to select a qualified GLP-1 provider. They argue that many clinics, particularly online services, fail to provide the comprehensive care necessary for sustainable metabolic health. The hosts cite the STEP-1 trial, where semaglutide led to 14.9% weight loss but also a concerning 9.7% reduction in lean body mass. A 2025 analysis in *Cell Metabolism* found that roughly 45% of total weight lost in such trials was lean tissue, nearly double the expected proportion. Research shows significant weight regain after stopping medication, with one meta-analysis in *eClinicalMedicine* noting a mean regain of 5.63 kilograms. The episode highlights a major red flag: online clinics with minimal oversight, referencing a *JAMA Network Open* study on safety concerns with no-prescription semaglutide. A critical insight is that FDA trials paired medication with lifestyle interventions, but these only mandated a 500-calorie deficit and 150 minutes of activity like walking, which doesn't preserve muscle. The European Association for the Study of Obesity emphasizes resistance training, not just aerobic exercise, to attenuate muscle loss. The hosts present compelling data from a 2025 case series where patients combining GLP-1s with resistance training and high protein intake (1.6-2.3g/kg of fat-free mass) lost fat while gaining or preserving lean mass. They detail essential adjuvant therapies their clinic uses, including MIC injections for liver support and methylcobalamin (B12) to prevent deficiencies flagged in an *International Journal of Obesity* article. They stress monitoring vitamin D, citing a meta-analysis linking supplementation to improved insulin sensitivity, and advocate for optimal levels between 40-80 ng/mL. The conversation underscores the importance of serial body composition analysis, like InBody scans, to track visceral fat and muscle loss invisible to a standard scale. They explain that hormonal evaluation is often missing online, noting low testosterone in roughly 50% of obese men and its metabolic consequences. The tone is educational and cautionary, blending clinical expertise with direct critiques of substandard care models. Listeners interested in using GLP-1 medications for long-term health, rather than quick weight loss, will find this episode invaluable. Those seeking a fast, prescription-only solution without ongoing medical oversight might find its recommendations too intensive.

As heard by us

A practical look at GLP-1 care that keeps lean mass, monitoring, and broader metabolic support in view.

Rare Wellness treats GLP-1 prescribing as a matter of discipline, not hype. The episode keeps returning to the same point: semaglutide and terzepatide belong in the hands of experienced clinicians, with nutrition, resistance training, body-composition tracking, lab work, and…

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Want to vet a GLP-1 provider before you commit?

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